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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 150 LLELUIA, Alleluia. This hymn, too, is triumphal. It forecasts, however, the knowledge of God that will be [enjoyed] by all human beings.l (2) Praise God in his saints (v. 1). This is, in fact, sufficient occasion for hymn singing: if on the basis [1996] of plants, wild animals, and reptiles we were bidden to find grounds for thanksgiving, much more should we consider the saints and with greater justice celebrate their God. After all, who ever learned the story of blessed Paul, the divinely inspired Peter, John the most divine, the other apostles, the triumphant martyrs , the other saints, or today's practitioners of virtue without moving the tongue to singing hymns to him who regaled human beings with such an abundance of good things? Praise him in thefirmament ofhis power. Symmachus, on the other hand, put it this way, "Praise him in his indestructible firmament": he alone is firm, proof against destruction, and possessing everlasting might.2 (3) Praise himfor his mighty deeds (v. 2): beyond words are the constant achievements of his saints. Praise him according to the extent of his greatness. This resembles what we have already commented on: "Because there is no limit to his greatness."3 His 1. Theodoret, we have noted, is not sensitive to the liturgical origins and continuing application of the Psalms in worship, and so has not recognized this series of Hallel psalms, failing, for instance, to see the inclusion employed in the last five with "Alleluia" at beginning and end. He also does not acknowledge the conclusion this particular Hallel psalm makes to the series or the Psalter's fifth book. Yet he takes the opportunity to comment on at least the final verse as a fitting conclusion to the whole Psalter, though apparently not finding a closing "Alleluia" in his form of the LXX. 2. A closing tribute to Symmachus, on whom Theodoret has depended throughout the Commentary for some enlightenment, even when as here little if any refinement of the LXX is achieved. 3· Ps 145·3· 372 COMMENTARY ON PSALM 150 373 greatness is unlimited, he is saying, his power without measure; so continue singing his praises for everything. (4) Praise him with sound oftrumpet (v. 3). This instrument was a priestly one: the priests used trumpets, recalling the trumpets that were on Mount Sinai.4 Praise him with lyre and harp, praise him with drum and dancing, praise him with string and [musical] instrument , praise him with clanging cymbals, praise him with cymbals ofjubilation (w. 3-5). The Levites of old used these instruments in celebrating God in the divine Temple, not because God took delight in their sound but because he accepted the intention of what was happening. For proof, in fact, that the deity does not take delight in songs and notes, we hear him saying to Jews, "Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the sound of your instruments."5 So he allowed these things to be done in his wish to rid them of the error of the idols: since some liked sport and play, and it was all conducted in the temples of idols, he allowed these things so as to draw them away through them, preventing the greater harm with the less, and teaching in advance the perfect through the imperfect. (5) Let every breath praise the Lord (v. 6)-not onlyJews but all human beings: he is God not only ofJews, according to the divine Apostle, but also of nations. Actually, in the hundred and forty-fourth psalm he said, "Let all flesh bless his holy name,''6 and here, Let every breath praise the Lord. In the former case, however , he did not summon only flesh, nor in this case only breath; rather, through both the one and the other he urges both body and spirit to sing the praises of the God of all. [1997] The conclusion of the whole work of the Psalms is admirable , and in keeping with the purpose of inspired composition : inspired composition proclaims salvation to the nations, and the conclusion of the inspired composition urges those who have attained it to sing the praises of the benefactor. We do not, however, only hear the words, but here we also perceive the realization:? in each city and village, in fields and on bor4 · Cf. Exod 19.13-19. 5· Amos 5.23. 6. Ps 145.21. 7. For Theodoret, at least...

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